Rotary steam-engine.



No. 773,401. PATENTED OUT. 25, 1904.

W. F. LEIBENGUTH.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29 1904.

H0 MODEL. 28HEETS--BHEET L I N0. '773,401. PATEN TED OUT. 25, 1904.

W. F. LEIBENGUTH.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1904.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 $111 oawfoz UNITED STATES Patented October25, 1904.

WVALTER F. LEIBENGUTH, OF DORRANCETON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 773,401, dated October25, 1904.

Application filed April 29, 1904. Serial No. 205,615. (No model.)

a citizen of the United States, residing at Dorranceton, in the countyof Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Rotary Steam Engines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines.

The object of the invention is to provide oscillating means forcausingmovement of valve means assembled with an engine constructed inaccordance with my invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide external oscillatorymeans for actuating valve means, whereby steam is alternately dischargedwithin the cylinders of an engine.

A still further object of the invention is to construct a valvemechanism which will cut off the supply of steam and allow the expansionof the steam within the cylinders of the engine, thus securing greatereconomy than is usual with this class of engines.

l/Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovel construction,

combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of an engineconstructed in conformance with my invention, taken on lines M and N,Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of a completed engine constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of theconstruction disclosed in Fig. 2. Fig. i is a detail view of means fortaking up the wear of the bearings of the piston-shafts. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of an engine constructed in conformance with myinvention, showing another embodiment of the valve-actuating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings by characters, C designates a casing whichcomprises in its construction two parallel cylinders, which areassembled with and mounted upon a suitable base. Journaled in thecylinders l and 2 are suitable piston-shafts K and K, upon which arekeyed rotary pistons A and B, which are segmental in form, each of saidrotary pistons forming substantially a half-circle on their outersurfaces, thereby permitting of the alternative formation of asteam-chest in each of the cylinders l and 2. Exhaust-apertures F and Fare formed in casing C and communicate with the inner compartment ofeach of the cylinders 1 and 2. Said apertures are screw-threaded and areadapted to receive suitable pipes F and F for conducting theexhaust-steam or the like from the engine to a suitabledischarge-receptacle.

Upon referring to Fig. 4: it will be seen that the piston-shafts K and Kare journaled in suitable bearings, which comprise in their constructionan annular sleeve P, within which is mounted segmental members Q, whichare adapted to engage the shafts upon which are keyed the rotarypistons. Said members Q are assembled with screw-threaded adjusting,members R, which are provided with locking-nuts R, whereby the wear ofthe bearings can be taken up by the adjustment of the members R, therebycausing movement of the bearing members Q toward the rotary shafts. Uponone end of the rotary shafts'K and K and secured in a parallel positionare keyed meshing gear-"wheels Keyed upon shaft K is a suitabledrivewheel, which is shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. The valve-opening Eis formed centrally within the top of the casing and preferablyintermediate between the cylinders 1 and 2. Communicating with saidvalve-opening E are suitable inlet-apertures S and S.' Journaledwithinthe valve-opening E is a rotary hollow valve member T. Said valvemember T is provided with a discharge-aperture T formed upon its walls.An inlet-pipe H is assembled with the casing and provides communicationwith the hollow portion of the valve T. Keyed to the shaft K is a diskor eccentric L, which is provided with a wrist-pin U, upon which isjournaled a pitman J.- Said pitman J is journaled at its opposite endupon a wrist-pin V, which is carried by a link or crank memher I, whichis keyed to a projection formed upon or assembled with the rotary hollowvalve T.

It will be seen by referring to the drawings that the casing is providedupon one side with a removable plate V, which is secured in an assembledposition with the casing of the engine by means of a plurality oftransverse bolts X, which are removably mounted upon the casing. By thisconstruction it will be obvious that by removing bolts X the said faceplate W may be detached from the double cylinder-casing, and therebypermit of the examination of the interior structure of the engine.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Steam is adapted to bedischarged by means of the pipe H into the hollow valve T, and therebydischarged by means of the apertures or ports T and S or T and S,respectively, into the steam chest, which is alternately formed in thecylinders 1 and 2. Upon the rotation of the shaft K motion is impartedto the rotary member L, and thereby causing the pitman J to oscillatethe crank or swinging member I, which is keyed to the oscillating valveT. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1, it will be seen that the port T ofthe valve T is partially opened, but communication to the steam-chest Dby means of the port S is prevented by the segmental piston having itssemicircular face, which engages the inner wall of the cylinder,covering said port S. As the shafts K and K are rotated simultaneouslyby means of the meshing gearwheels G the rotary piston A will be causedto move in the direction indicated by the arrow and describing an arc ofa circle before the steam-chest D, which is continuously enlarged, is incommunication with the exhaust port F. As the pistons continue torotate, the portion 3 of the rotary piston B will come in contact withthe segmental portion A of the rotary piston A in a position similar tothat shown in the drawings, Fig. I, assumed by the rotary piston A, andwill thereby provide a steam-chest formed in the cylinder 2 of theparallel cylinder-casing of the engine.

Fig. 5 illustrates the construction of a mechanism for imparting arotary movement to the valve T constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. Keyed upon the shaft K is a pinion K which is adaptedto mesh with a similar pinion K, which is also keyed upon the extensionof valve T. The pinions are constructed so as to be timed to themovement of the segmental pistons for the purpose of alternativelypermitting of the discharge of steam through port T of valveT andthrough one of the passages S and S into the steam-chest formed ineither of the cylindrical compartments. By this construction the samefunction of the valve T is performed as when the oscillatory mechanismis employed which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be obvious that the pistons rotate in opposite directions andthat by the rotation of the drive-wheel on shaft K motion is imparted toeach of the meshing gear-wheels G. In the construction herein describedand depicted in the accompanying drawings it will be seen that a singlevalve, which is provided with oscillatory or rotary means, furnishesmeans whereby steam is automatically injected into either of thesteam-chests formed alternately in either of the parallel cylinders ofthe engine.

In the drawings of the foregoing description I have shown the preferredconstruction of my invention; but it will be obvious that certainchanges may be made in the construction of the casing, the cylinders,and the cooperating pistons and also the val\"eactuat ing mechanism. Achange may also be made in the constructing of the cooperating membersof the oscillatory mechanism assembled with the valve and thepiston-shaft, and for this reason I reserve the right to make suchchanges, alterations, and modifications as shall fairly fall within thespirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a rotary engine, the combination with a double cylinder-casing, aplurality of segmental pistons rotatably mounted in said cylinders, ofcentral valve means assembled with said casing, and upon its wall,communicating means formed in said valve means and easing, an arm keyedto and depending from said valve means, a disk assembled with one ofsaid pistons, and connecting means journaled upon said disk anddepending arm, thereby providing means for alternately placing saidcommunicating means in said casing and valve means in communication,when the engine is in operation.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

\VALTER F. LEIBENGUTH. Witnesses:

W. J. TREMBATH, FRED l/VoL'rn.

